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WriterOnDeck

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  1. Kathi, so glad to read about your adventures back on a dam ship! One thing I have learned is that shorex usually has one manager who specializes in knowing the "accessible" details about excursions. When I fractured my kneecap on the 2023 world cruise, they went over each of the excursions I had booked with more detail than in the description eg number of steps, number of stairs, etc. Once I may more ambulatory, they even emailed a tour operator asking for a photo of the access to a boat. It really helped me to be able to decide ahead of time what I could do.
  2. We left about 8:10 am. There were four buses, and I was on the third. We arrived about 9:40 am at the Bitexco Financial Tower, the tallest in district 1 downtown. Our guides did not give a running commentary on the drive in, but gave some detail as we got closer. When we arrived, they directed us to the restrooms in the building (modern), ATMs and to the ticket counter to go to the skydeck (which I didn't). On the drive they handed out maps of downtown with a few sites marked, with the dropoff/pickup spot clearly marked and filled in with our departure time of 2:30 pm. (The bus after us had a 2:40 pickup time.) The map also had phone numbers for the guides. They answered any questions. A couple was about 20 minutes late in returning. Christel (Henk's wife, retired guest services manager) was on the bus and checked the list we had filled out earlier (name, birth date) as we circled the block waiting. On the return trip, we stopped for a 15-minute bathroom stop. I didn't get off so don't know the condition of the toilets. For some reason after our stop they decided to play loud music for the rest of the drive, so no more chance to sleep. I thought it was a great way to get into the city, which I had visited before. I felt comfortable walking around on my own. on top that soe went t
  3. Just FYI, I took the transfer, along with enough people for 4 buses (not packed). It was a great day, especially if you have been to HCMC before. Most people headed to the market or the post office areas, and a bunch of us ended up at the rooftop garden at the Rex Hotel for a nice afternoon.
  4. Just FYI, a feature of the world cruise is that the menu doesn't repeat for 128 days. Of course a lot of the individual items do, which is just fine with me.
  5. Here's Holland America's press release from last fall when the company announced the event. It will answer lots of questions: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cake-me-away-presents-pastry-team-favorites-in-new-dessert-extravaganza-for-guests-on-holland-america-line-cruises-301991185.html At our recent formal dinner on the world cruise, I was hosted by the pastry chef (who wants a senior officer when you can dine with the pastry chef?!). He said it has been very popular, among passengers and among his team of chefs.
  6. Rich, you'll love Florin! He was the HGM on the Grand South America/Antarctica a few months ago and is one of the best! Very friendly and outgoing. Keep enjoying your cruise -- and I hope you went ashore in Waitangi. It's beautiful, interesting and very historical. Too bad we missed the port when I sailed on the Westerdam in 2022 with you.
  7. I will look forward to your reports! I sailed on the Wind Star and the Wind Spirit five times in the mid 1990s -- transAtlantics between Madeira or Lisbon and Barbados -- 14 days each with no stops until it was time to depart. I loved those voyages -- especially in those pre-Internet days when my boss could not reach me! We usually had no more than 60 or maybe 80 passengers (once 29), and when they bought the Wind Surf we thought it was entirely too big! Bon Voyage!!!
  8. Sounds like you will be on Majestic Japan, Rich -- I'll look forward to sailing with you again!
  9. Some switched, but not most. They do stagger them. And due to the large number of people boarding, a lot of crew I know who had planned to leave in Fort Lauderdale were asked to stay at least through the first post-GWV segment.
  10. Yes. We expected it would be crazy and had arranged a reserved table for anytime dining before the GWV ended. And I got my Platinum Medallion on the post GWV voyage!
  11. As a single, I agree. But as a Carnival shareholder and retired corporate type, I understand the rationale. As a single I pay double the "per person" price doubles pay for hotel rooms. And yes, food is included on the ship. But HAL loses the opportunity cost of that second person's spending on shore excursions, drinks, specialty restaurants, casino gambling, on board shop sales, spa services, etc. As long as singles pony up the money, it won't likely change. I was encouraged to hear HAL president Gus Antorcha comment on the world voyage this week that it might be worth looking into awarding double Mariner points for those who pay double the rate under the single policy (it's not always double, though). Similar to the double points for suites. I would have loved that when I was working on higher Mariner stars. But now it doesn't matter for me, as nothing to achieve with more Mariner points.
  12. Last year I stayed on for the TA after the GWV, and the ship was packed. 1,000 had Have It All, which also really slows down things because of the individual wine orders in the MDR. I think there are two issues. One is the staffing level. I was on the Zuiderdam for the 2023 holiday cruise between the Grand Africa and the Grand World. We had more than 2,000 passengers, with just 1,200 for the GWV (and I assume a similar lower number for the GA). It's probably not reasonable to add staff for an 11-day cruise, so the MDR staff was really stretched. Before the holiday cruise I was on the Zaandam for the Grand South America/Antarctica. The ship was far from full, but the restaurant managers said they knew the stewards would be shocked with a suddenly full ship for its holiday cruise. It could be the same for the TA after the GWV. Also, the number of people in the MDR can really fluctuate depending on whether it was a busy port day (thus tired cruisers might just go to the Lido instead of dressing for the MDR). You shouldn't have as much of a problem in fixed dining, particularly the later option.
  13. I've never sailed in a single cabin, but have heard that even with the single upcharge, a regular cabin can be cheaper, plus a lot more inventory to choose from (thus more competitive pricing).
  14. That Westerdam was big -- and had been stretched after HAL bought it. It was a totally different design from other HAL ships (eg no Crow's Nest), and was my first cruise, too. I sailed on her three times, the last being her final HAL cruise.
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